Former Deputy Reaches Agreement To Avoid Prosecution
December 27, 2018 at 6:58 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Part of the agreement prohibits Chad Hill, 50, of Larwill, from ever serving in law enforcement again.
Special prosecutor Eric D. Blackman, of Noble County, filed the case against Hill in Kosciusko County Superior Court II on Nov. 30. Hill’s pretrial hearing was set for 1 p.m. Jan. 2 on the theft charge, a Class A misdemeanor.
A pretrial diversion agreement signed Dec. 17 by Blackman and Hill’s attorney, Anthony Churchward, was filed Friday in Kosciusko County Courts.
It states the agreement shall remain in effect for 12 months from the date filed with the court. The state of Indiana agrees to defer the prosecution of the charge filed against Hill and to dismiss the charge after Hill completes the agreement.
As part of the agreement, Hill agrees to comply with its terms and to waive any rights granted under Indiana Criminal Rule 4 and Speedy Trial rules.
Prior to the filing of the agreement, Hill was to pay fees and court costs totaling $454. He was responsible for paying any other fees or court costs prior to the term of the agreement. He agreed that any cash or escrow bond previously posted shall be released and applied to the fees and costs, less any administrative fee imposed by the clerk. Any and all remaining fees and costs were to be made payable to the Kosciusko County Clerk via money order.
Hill also paid restitution of $539.82 to the Noble County Prosecutor’s Office via money order, made payable to Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.
As a precondition and in consideration of the agreement, the state recognizes Hill has voluntarily requested that his law enforcement certification through the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board be revoked and he has agreed to not seek employment as a law enforcement officer in Indiana or any other jurisdiction.
If Hill violates any term of the agreement, including any nonpayment of fees, then the state shall be entitled to prosecute Hill in this case, and any fees or costs already paid shall be forfeited.
On or about June 19, 2018, the theft of property and services was discovered while KCSD was gathering information from a previous internal investigation; department equipment was given to a woman. The information was gained during a conversation with Hill about a video that was sent to an employee with the prosecutor’s office involving the alleged sexual interaction of Hill involving the woman.
Hill had contacted KCSD Capt. Chris McKeand to inform him that the video was sent. During that conversation, Hill asked if a phone, a Verizon portable hotspot and a tablet were returned to the department by the woman. Only the phone and tablet were part of the earlier investigation. This was the first mention of a mobile hotspot, according to court documents.
An attempt was made to find the mobile hotspot but was not successful. Shortly after learning of the videos, the woman began to make contact about the earlier investigation as well. She informed KCSD that Hill had provided her with a mobile hotspot in January 2017 and she continued to use it. She said she believed that Hill was paying for the use of the mobile hotspot.
Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton requested a special prosecutor in the case Aug. 29.
Hill retired July 19, 2017, after 27 years with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.
Part of the agreement prohibits Chad Hill, 50, of Larwill, from ever serving in law enforcement again.
Special prosecutor Eric D. Blackman, of Noble County, filed the case against Hill in Kosciusko County Superior Court II on Nov. 30. Hill’s pretrial hearing was set for 1 p.m. Jan. 2 on the theft charge, a Class A misdemeanor.
A pretrial diversion agreement signed Dec. 17 by Blackman and Hill’s attorney, Anthony Churchward, was filed Friday in Kosciusko County Courts.
It states the agreement shall remain in effect for 12 months from the date filed with the court. The state of Indiana agrees to defer the prosecution of the charge filed against Hill and to dismiss the charge after Hill completes the agreement.
As part of the agreement, Hill agrees to comply with its terms and to waive any rights granted under Indiana Criminal Rule 4 and Speedy Trial rules.
Prior to the filing of the agreement, Hill was to pay fees and court costs totaling $454. He was responsible for paying any other fees or court costs prior to the term of the agreement. He agreed that any cash or escrow bond previously posted shall be released and applied to the fees and costs, less any administrative fee imposed by the clerk. Any and all remaining fees and costs were to be made payable to the Kosciusko County Clerk via money order.
Hill also paid restitution of $539.82 to the Noble County Prosecutor’s Office via money order, made payable to Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.
As a precondition and in consideration of the agreement, the state recognizes Hill has voluntarily requested that his law enforcement certification through the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board be revoked and he has agreed to not seek employment as a law enforcement officer in Indiana or any other jurisdiction.
If Hill violates any term of the agreement, including any nonpayment of fees, then the state shall be entitled to prosecute Hill in this case, and any fees or costs already paid shall be forfeited.
On or about June 19, 2018, the theft of property and services was discovered while KCSD was gathering information from a previous internal investigation; department equipment was given to a woman. The information was gained during a conversation with Hill about a video that was sent to an employee with the prosecutor’s office involving the alleged sexual interaction of Hill involving the woman.
Hill had contacted KCSD Capt. Chris McKeand to inform him that the video was sent. During that conversation, Hill asked if a phone, a Verizon portable hotspot and a tablet were returned to the department by the woman. Only the phone and tablet were part of the earlier investigation. This was the first mention of a mobile hotspot, according to court documents.
An attempt was made to find the mobile hotspot but was not successful. Shortly after learning of the videos, the woman began to make contact about the earlier investigation as well. She informed KCSD that Hill had provided her with a mobile hotspot in January 2017 and she continued to use it. She said she believed that Hill was paying for the use of the mobile hotspot.
Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton requested a special prosecutor in the case Aug. 29.
Hill retired July 19, 2017, after 27 years with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.
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